Post-deposition treatment to enhance properties of Si-O-C low K films
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsLi-Qun Xia, Frederic Gaillard, Ellie Yieh, Tian H. Lim
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Abstract
A method for providing a dielectric film having enhanced adhesion and stability. The method includes a post deposition treatment that densifies the film in a reducing atmosphere to enhance stability if the film is to be cured ex-situ. The densification generally takes place in a reducing environment while heating the substrate. The densification treatment is particularly suitable for silicon-oxygen-carbon low dielectric constant films that have been deposited at low temperature.
Claims17
A method of depositing dielectric material upon a substrate, comprising:
- providing the substrate to a deposition chamber;
- introducing a process gas in the deposition chamber, the process gas comprising an organosilane precursor selected from the group consisting of methylsilane, dimethylsilane, trimethylsilane, tetramethylsilane, and phenylmethylsilane, the deposition chamber having a first pressure and a first temperature about 125° C. or less during a first time period while depositing a carbon-doped silicon oxide layer;
- and
- maintaining the process gas in the deposition chamber, the deposition chamber having a second pressure and a second temperature for a second time period while depositing the carbon-doped silicon oxide layer, the carbon-doped silicon oxide layer having a carbon content of at least about 8 atomic percent or more, wherein the first pressure is higher than the second pressure and the first temperature is less than the second temperature.
A method of depositing a carbon-doped silicon oxide layer upon a substrate, the method comprising:
- providing the substrate to a deposition chamber;
- flowing a process gas comprising an organosilicon precursor having at least one silicon-carbon bond and ozone into the deposition chamber during a first deposition step while maintaining conditions of the deposition chamber at process conditions suitable for depositing carbon-doped silicon oxide material over the substrate using a thermal chemical vapor deposition process, the process conditions including maintaining a pressure level within the chamber during the first deposition step within a range of about 200 to 700 Torr and maintaining a temperature of about 125° C. or less;
- and
- during a second deposition step subsequent to the first deposition step, continuing a flow of the process gas into the deposition chamber while maintaining the deposition chamber at process conditions suitable for depositing carbon-doped silicon oxide material over the substrate using a thermal chemical vapor deposition process, the process conditions including maintaining a pressure level within the chamber during the second deposition step within a range of about 50 to 150 Torr and maintaining a temperature of at least about 150° C.
A method of depositing a carbon-doped silicon oxide layer on a substrate, comprising:
- providing the substrate to a deposition chamber;
- introducing a process gas comprising an organosilicon precursor having at least one silicon-carbon bond into the deposition chamber, the deposition chamber having a first pressure and a first temperature of about 125° C. or less during a first time period while depositing a first portion of the carbon-doped silicon oxide layer;
- and
- maintaining the process gas in the deposition chamber, the deposition chamber having a second pressure and a second temperature of at least about 150° C. or more for a second time period while depositing a second portion of the carbon-doped silicon oxide layer, wherein the first pressure is higher than the second pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.